A young lady (name not known as yet) was in service at Brookfield House, on Reservoir Road, Whaley Bridge.
She was somehow ‘involved’ with a local police officer, Police Constable Gage from Bridgemont.
One Saturday night she got off the Buxton train at Whaley Bridge and started to walk up Reservoir Road to Brookfield House where she was ‘in service’. She was followed by PC Gage from Bridgemont as witnessed by Frank Collier who was employed at Botany Bleach Works. PC Gage did not see Frank Collier.
The next day the young lady was found dead in William Eyre’s hen run and, not intended as a pun, foul play was immediately suspected. The hen run was in the field opposite Brookfield House.
A post mortem revealed that the girl had been poisoned with a very rare poison.
It was thought locally at the time that the hen house was used as a rendezvous point for them.
The police made enquiries at all the local chemists and the only person who had acquired this type of poison was Police Constable Gage.
Gage was suspected of murdering the girl and was summoned as a witness to the inquest held at the Mechanics Institute on Market Street in Whaley Bridge.
The number of people who wanted to attend the inquest was far too many than the building could cater for so seats were fixed on the pavement outside and loudspeakers were erected so that those people could at least hear the proceedings.
Gage was very evasive with his answers to the Coroner.
When asked why he had bought the very same poison that killed the girl he said he knew nothing about it and he had simply bought the poison to end his dog’s life as it was suffering from a medical condition.
The Coroner asked Gage where he had buried the dog so that checks could be made on its body.
Gage said he had thrown it in the fire-box at Blandola Riddle Works in Bridgemont close to where he lived.
Asked where he had kept the remains of the poison so that could be also checked he said he had also thrown that in the fire-box.
The jury was ordered to return an open verdict and Gage was free to go.
He was transferred the next day to take up duties in Northwich and nobody was ever charged with the poor girl’s murder.
Below is a photo of the scene: it is the field where Grant Ford built his house and you can see the hen house in the corner beside the bush.
I am fairly certain that one of Grant’s relatives was in service at Brookfield House at the time and next time I see him I will ask if he has any further information about the case.
R. S-S